News of Elizabeth Martin’s MBE award has been the talk of the town.

The 71-year-old has been recognised for her services to the community in Newport-on-Tay, where she has run a local community centre for 32 years.

Elizabeth – better known as Betty – became chairperson of the Rio Centre on St Mary’s Lane when she moved to the Fife town with her husband, four children and dog from Lochore in the 1990s.

“People are crossing the road and bowing and everything,” she tells me. “It is ridiculous!

“Someone called the Rio Centre yesterday and said, ‘Can I speak to the honourable Elizabeth Martin please?’

“That is my Sunday name of course. Everybody just knows me as Betty.”

What is the Rio Centre?

The community-owned Rio Centre, a former cinema build in 1939, is run by Betty and her “army” of 32 volunteers.

It hosts holiday clubs for children, free meals, concerts and even runs a thrift shop.

Betty, who also runs a care business in Newport-on-Tay, says: “We started offering free meals after the pandemic because people were struggling during the cost of living crisis.

“We do free meals once a week for anybody.

“It always attracts mixed aged groups – it is rather great.

“Tomorrow it is soup, pie, chips and peas. It is always a good meal and it is a good laugh and they are all quite happy.”

‘People wonder where I get my energy from’

32 years in charge is no mean feat, I say.

“But if you enjoy it then it’s okay,” Betty says.

“Once you stop enjoying it then you have to leave.

“People wonder where I get the energy from.

“When I come into the centre, I’ll say, ‘Right everybody I’ve got an idea’.

“And they all run and hide.

“They’ll be shutting the doors and things like that because they think, ‘Oh god here she comes again with more ideas!’

“It’s quite funny. But I enjoy it.”

What does she enjoy about it?

“I just enjoy organising. I’m not a follower. I’m more of a leader,” she says.

“And I like to see people laughing. I like to see happiness. That is what I like the most. And that is what I achieve.”

Betty credits her leaderships skills to her time at an all-girls school in Cowdenbeath, where she grew up.

“Going to an all-girls school was a different cup of tea.

“I went up at 11, and I saw these prefects going about and fixing people’s skirts because they were rolled up short, and I thought, ‘Uh huh. I want to be one them when I’m older’.

“And that is what I did.”

‘I had to keep MBE a secret for four weeks’

Betty, who has 11 grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren, found out she was to be awarded an MBE about a month before it was made public.

She says: “They sent a letter from the cabinet office asking if I would accept it and I said yes.

“Then you are not allowed to tell anyone, so you have to keep it quiet.

“But I managed to tell my family the week before it was officially announced.

“I summoned them all to come to the house. And told them all. So it was quite nice, they’re all very proud of me.”

Betty doesn’t yet know when she will receive the award, but she is planning to host a garden party to celebrate soon.

How does it feel to know someone in her community – perhaps more than one – nominated her for the award?

She says: “I am emotional. It is very humbling. But I’ve not cried yet!

“Maybe I will once I get the award.

“It is a funny thing because I was just doing what I like to do.

“And people are shocked when they find out I don’t get paid.

“People can’t believe that for 32 years I’ve organised and done it all and don’t get paid.

“It is nice to get appreciated.”